About 7.1 per cent (427) of the 2012 cases were in infants aged under one year and 309 people were taken to hospital.

Two children died from the disease last year, including 6-week-old Christchurch girl Alaya-Reign Pamata Ma'anaima.

The baby died in Christchurch Hospital on November 10 after being diagnosed with the disease nine days earlier.

Canterbury medical officer of health Alistair Humphrey said the whooping cough epidemic, which began spreading across the country in May 2011, was "not abating", with another 96 cases reported in Canterbury in January.

Free vaccinations were available to women between 28 and 38 weeks of pregnancy from their GP until the pertussis outbreak ended.

"It's very distressing for parents when they see their children going through this," Humphrey said.

Whooping cough causes uncontrollable coughing and is commonly known as the 100-day cough.